The bill was named after New Mexico State University graduate student, Katie Sepich, who was brutally raped and murdered in 2003. Her killer, Gabriel Avila, was not identified when he was arrested in 2003 for unrelated crimes.

"After Katy was killed, she fought so hard for her life that she had the blood and skin of the man that killed her under finger nails," Katie mother, Jayann Sepich, said in a phone interview.

Police used that DNA to track down Avila, but it took three years of waiting until Avila was a convicted felon.

The goal of "Katie's Law" is to encourage states to implement a DNA collection process that collects DNA from people that have been arrested for felonies.

"It should be used just like a fingerprint," said Sepich, who has been instrumental in getting the law passed. "It identifies criminals who are perpetrating horrible crimes sooner rather than later."

New Mexico is the sixth state in the country to implement the law. Twenty-five states have passed laws similar to "Katie's Law."

'Katie's La passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on December 18, 2012, and will be sent to the president for his signature.